Memorial service honors miners who died

More than 400 people gathered around the Miners’ Memorial Monument at West Brookwood Church Monday evening — just yards from Jim Walter Mine No. 5 where 13 miners died 12 years ago.

By Lydia Seabol AvantStaff Writer | The Tuscaloosa News

More than 400 people gathered around the Miners’ Memorial Monument at West Brookwood Church Monday evening — just yards from Jim Walter Mine No. 5 where 13 miners died 12 years ago. “This is a very important memorial, because if we ever forget what happened that day, it is apt to happen again,” said Larry Spencer, president of the Alabama Miners Memorial Foundation. The annual event, which draws miners, their families, retired miners and others from the extended Tuscaloosa community, honors those who died and serves as a reminder of what could happen in mines and why safety is so important, Spencer said. The Sept. 23, 2001, accident occurred when there were explosions in Mine No. 5 — which then was one of the deepest, most gaseous mines in North America. On that day, 32 miners descended into the mine in Brookwood to conduct routine maintenance. But within hours, what started as a normal day turned into a tragedy that would claim 13 lives. The No. 5 mine has since been closed.Since 2001, there have been 37 mining fatalities in Alabama, including the 13 who died at No. 5. So far this year nationally, 27 miners died in accidents, according to the United Mine Workers of America. At Monday’s memorial service, representatives from local UMWA unions lit candles in memory of fallen miners. After the service, attendees laid evergreen branches at the foot of the Miner’s Memorial, a black granite monument enscribed with the names of the 13 miners who died in 2001. “Although we are not where we want to be, progress is being made every day,” said Thomas Wilson, international representative for UMWA, referring to mine safety. “We need every miner to make the mines the safest in the world. If it’s not safe, don’t do it.” Over the last 12 years, mine safety has improved vastly, Wilson said. It’s not perfect, but it’s progress, he said. “I’m uplifted that we do have that vision of being incident-free and fatality-free, and not just getting better.”